Cross-Omics Analysis of Fenugreek Supplementation Reveals Beneficial Effects Are Caused by Gut Microbiome Changes Not Mammalian Host Physiology

Herbal remedies are increasing in popularity as treatments for metabolic conditions such as obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. One potential therapeutic option is fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum-graecum), which have been used for treating high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes. A proposed mechanism for these benefits is through alterations in the microbiome, which impact mammalian host metabolic function. This study used untargeted metabolomics to investigate the fenugreek-induced alterations in the intestinal, liver, and serum profiles of mice fed either a 60% high-fat or low-fat control diet each with or without fenugreek supplementation (2% w/w) for 14 weeks. Metagenomic analyses of intestinal contents found significant alterations in the relative composition of the gut microbiome resulting from fenugreek supplementation. Specifically, Verrucomicrobia, a phylum containing beneficial bacteria which are correlated with health benefits, increased in relative abundance with fenugreek. Metabolomics partial least squares discriminant analysis revealed substantial fenugreek-induced changes in the large intestines. However, it was observed that while the magnitude of changes was less, significant modifications were present in the liver tissues resulting from fenugreek supplementation. Further analyses revealed metabolic processes affected by fenugreek and showed broad ranging impacts in multiple pathways, including carnitine biosynthesis, cholesterol and bile acid metabolism, and arginine biosynthesis. These pathways may play important roles in the beneficial effects of fenugreek.     

Antioxidant properties of commercial, regular- and whole-wheat spaghetti

Whole grains contain more vitamins, minerals, natural antioxidants and dietary fibre than regular, refined grain products. Therefore, consumption of whole grain products is associated with beneficial health effects. The present investigation evaluated the antioxidant properties of 10 samples of regular- and whole-wheat spaghetti that are commercially available. The methods employed were total phenolic content (TPC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and ferulic acid content by HPLC analysis. The effects of cooking on the antioxidant properties of spaghetti were also studied. Whole wheat spaghetti exhibited significantly higher levels of total phenolic content (1389 μg/g) than regular wheat spaghetti (865 μg/g); however, TPC in both regular and whole wheat spaghetti was 48–78% of the original content after cooking. There were no significant differences in ORAC values (34.3–100.4 μmol Trolox equivalents/g) or DPPH scavenging activity (1.0–2.3 μmol Trolox equivalents) among whole wheat and regular spaghetti. Whole wheat spaghetti (234 μg/g) had significantly higher content of ferulic acid than regular spaghetti (p < 0.05). TPC and ferulic acid content were found to be good indicators of the antioxidant capacity of spaghetti with both indices demonstrating the superiority of whole wheat over regular pasta products. The current findings on spaghetti add to the mounting evidence on the potential health benefits to be derived from consuming whole grain products.     

Effects of simulated digestion in vitro on cell wall polysaccharides from kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.)

Cell wall polysaccharides are resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine and are considered to be delivered to the colon in a chemically unaltered state. In this paper, pulp from green and gold kiwifruit was subjected to in vitro upper-intestinal tract digestion and the chemical and physical changes to cell wall polysaccharides (dietary fibre) were investigated. Yields of insoluble fibre decreased slightly with simulated digestion while soluble fibre yields increased. Constituent sugar and glycosyl linkage analysis of the soluble and insoluble fibre fractions revealed that the chemical composition and structure of the non-starch polysaccharides remained largely unchanged. However, the degree of methylesterification of galacturonic acid residues present in the pectin-rich soluble fibre fractions of both fruit decreased with treatment; size-exclusion chromatography detected changes in the molecular weight profiles of these fractions. These changes may affect the physicochemical properties and fermentability of kiwifruit dietary fibre in the large intestine.     

A coefficient of community loss to assess detrimental change in aquatic communities

Many techniques used to evaluate biological community data for effects of wastewater discharge do not discriminate between change and harmful change. A coefficient using the ratio of numbers of taxa lost between an unaffectd reference community and a pollution affected community, to the total number of taxa found in the affected community, provides a better evaluation of detrimental change. The value of the coefficient is determined by both the observed change in community richness as well as change in taxonomic similarity. The coefficient produces values from zero indicating no harmful change to infinity where there is complete loss of a community. Macroinvertebrate data suggests that values exceeding 0.8 are indicative of excessively harmful change in those communities.     

测量不可测的:与可步行性相关的城市设计品质

本研究试图全面客观地衡量城市街道环境的与人们感受有关的品质.使用专家小组评级的方法,使得根据街道及其边缘的物质环境特征来衡量城市设计的五个品质——意象、围合空间、人的尺度、透明度和复杂性——成为可能.可操作的定义并不总与定性的定义相一致,可操作定义针对城市设计品质(urban design qualities)的性质提供了新见解.本研究的直接目的是为研究者提供(这五个城市设计品质的)可操作性定义,这样他们可以测量街道环境并测试其与步行行为之间的显著性联系.纽约市目前正在进行验证研究.最终目的是,根据本研究和其他后续研究的成果,来指导城市设计实践.     

Applications of confocal microscopy to the study of myelin development and neuron structure

Confocal laser scanning microscopy has been used to study the localization of myelin basic proteins expressed in nonglial cells, and to probe the three-dimensional structure of central auditory neurons in the lateral superior olive. The paper focuses on the techniques used to obtain the results. The key roles of confocal microscopy and computer image processing of the images obtained are emphasized as they relate to the discovery of essential structural information about these specimens.     

Austenite Reconstruction Elucidates Prior Grain Size Dependence of Toughness in a Low Alloy Steel

Texture and grain size distribution of the austenite phase at high temperature have distinct effects on the subsequent transformed microstructure and mechanical properties of steel alloys at room temperature. Measurement of austenite at high temperature is not, however, a trivial task especially if orientation maps are desired. Therefore, a technique for determining austenite texture and grain size that was present at high temperature is highly desirable. In this work, we review several pipe samples intended for use as well casing with large variations in toughness and martensitic microstructures at room temperature. Microstructural analysis of the martensite structures could not easily explain these differences due to how martensite forms from austenite. An algorithm was developed to reconstruct the parent austenite at high temperature from martensite microstructure at room temperature. This technique successfully reconstructed orientation maps for the prior austenite in these samples, demonstrating differences in texture, grain orientation spread, and austenite grain size that could account for the differences in mechanical properties.     

Poly(cyclodextrin)‐Polydrug Nanocomplexes as Synthetic Oncolytic Virus for Locoregional Melanoma Chemoimmunotherapy

Despite the approval of oncolytic virus (OV) therapy for advanced melanoma, its intrinsic limitations that include the risk of persistent viral infection and cost‐intensive manufacturing motivate the development of analogous approaches that are free from the disadvantages of virus‐based therapies. Herein, reported is a nanoassembly comprised of multivalent host–guest interactions between polymerized paclitaxel (pPTX) and nitric oxide‐incorporated polymerized β‐cyclodextrin (pCD‐pSNO) that through its bioactive components and when used locoregionally recapitulates the therapeutic effects of OV. The resultant pPTX/pCD‐pSNO exhibits significantly enhanced cytotoxicity, immunogenic cell death, dendritic cell (DC) activation, and T cell expansion in vitro compared to free agents alone or in combination. In vivo, intratumoral administration of pPTX/pCD‐pSNO results in activation and expansion of DCs systemically, but with a corresponding expansion of myeloid‐derived suppressor cells and suppression of CD8⁺ T cell expansion. When combined with antibody targeting cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen‐4 that blunts this molecule's signaling effects on T cells, intratumoral pPTX/pCD‐pSNO treatment elicits potent anticancer effects that significantly prolong animal survival. This formulation thus leverages the chemo‐ and immunotherapeutic synergies of PTX and nitric oxide and suggests the potential for virus‐free nanoformulations to mimic the therapeutic action and benefits of OVs.